London — Humane Society International, one of the largest animal protection organisations in the world, has launched Be Cruelty-Free, a global campaign to end animal testing for cosmetics. Worldwide the campaign is being launched from HSI’s offices in Europe, Australia, Canada, India, and in partnership with The Humane Society of the United States, with scientific outreach programmes in several developing cosmetics markets.

Andrew Rowan, President and CEO of Humane Society International, said:

“Humane Society International’s Be Cruelty-Free campaign will be a truly global and formidable force for change by working hand-in-hand with partner organisations in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and beyond to create the consumer awareness and political momentum needed to achieve a worldwide end to animal testing for beauty and personal care products.”

Across the European Union cosmetics animal testing is banned, but elsewhere in the world animals such as rabbits and mice continue to be subjected to painful and distressing toxicity tests to produce cosmetic products and ingredients. In some countries, animal testing for cosmetics is still legally required. In the United States, the vast majority of animals used for cosmetics testing are not even counted on official statistics.

“In India as in other countries, many thousands of sentient creatures suffer unimaginable distress in laboratories to produce beauty products, but there is currently very little awareness about this hidden suffering. HSI intends to change that by urging consumers, politicians and companies to spare animals from pain by choosing to Be Cruelty-Free.”

Be Cruelty-Free is launching with national petitions to end cosmetics testing and consumers can pledge their support for a global end to cosmetics suffering at hsi.org/becrueltyfree, with other actions to follow. HSI’s cosmetics testing campaign in Europe has received support from global celebrities such as Leona Lewis, Ricky Gervais, Spice Girl Melanie C, Sir Roger Moore and Dame Judi Dench.

Cosmetics can easily be produced without animal testing by using the thousands of existing ingredients for which safety data is already available and advanced non-animal testing methods such as 3D human skin models, test-tube cell tests and computer models.

ENDS

Media contact: Wendy Higgins, +44 (0)7989 972 423, whiggins@hsi.org

Notes to Editors:

Humane Society International and its partner organisations together constitute one of the world's largest animal protection organisations — backed by 11 million people. For nearly 20 years, HSI has been working for the protection of all animals through the use of science, advocacy, education and hands-on programmes. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide — on the Web at hsi.org/becrueltyfree.

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